elizabethmercas's reviews
134 reviews

 

At its core, "The Hobbit" is just a beautiful adventure tale—possibly the most charming and daring ever written. There isn't much more to say but that. I believe the story should be enjoyed for what it was intended to be: simple entertainment…. but I doubt that it would be anything more than a decent novel if all it was for was plain enjoyment.

Instead, this simple children's story resonates and fascinates. It teases and hints at something larger and grander, and it instructs and lectures as from one of the most subtle intellects without ever feeling like it is instructing, lecturing or being condescending. One of the many nuanced observations Tolkien makes in 'The Hobbit' is when he complains that a story of a good time is always too quickly told, but a story of evil times often requires a great many words to cover the events thereof. How often has that idea fascinated me.

Consider also how the story opens, with Bilbo's breezy unreflective manners which are polite in form but not in spirit, and Gandalf's continual meditation on the meaning of 'Good morning.’ How much insight is concealed within Gandalf's gentle humor! How often do we find ourselves, like Bilbo, saying something we don't really mean and using words to mean something very unlike their plain meaning! How often do we find ourselves saying, "I don't mean to be rude, but...", when in fact we mean, "I very much mean to be rude, and here it comes!" If we did not mean to be rude, surely we wouldn't say what we say. Instead we mean, "I'm going to be rude but I don't want you to think I'm someone who is normally rude...", or "I'm going to put myself forward, but I don't want you to think of me as someone who is normally so arrogant...", or even, "I'm going to be rude, but I don't want to think of myself as someone who is rude, so I'm going to pretend I'm not being rude..." I think that is what makes this more than just a good book, but a great one.

Without adopting any of the cynicism or self-loathing so common among those who aim to criticize humanity for its blatant shortcomings, Tolkien is able to gently poke fun at us for our all-too-human failings. We fantasize about heroes which are strong and comely of form, and we have for as long as we've had recorded literature. Comic books are filled with mythological heroes whose inflated human virtues usually amount to, whatever else may be true of them, an exaggerated display of violence. These contemporary Helens, Ajaxs, and Achilles rule the box office and, I would imagine, rule our innermost fantasies. Of course, the superhero of our imaginations might also possess superhuman morals to go along with his physical prowess, but they are always subordinate to and tied to our fantasy of strength and virility.

How different is Tolkien's protagonist from this model — short, small, mundane, and weak. Of all the principal characters of the story, he possesses probably the least of that quintessential heroic attribute - martial prowess. And yet, he is not actually 'average'. Bilbo is just as much an exaggerated idealized hero as Heracles, it's just that those attributes in which Bilbo is almost transcendently inhuman isn't the sort of attributes we normally fantasize about having ourselves.

Bilbo is gentle. He is simple. He is humble. Power and wealth have little attraction for him. He is kind. He takes less than his share, and that that he takes he gives away. He is a peacemaker. Though wrongly imprisoned, he bears no grudge and desires no vengeance for the wrongs done to him. Rather he apologizes for stealing food, and offers to repay in recompense far more than he took. Though mistreated, he harbors no enmity. He never puts himself forward, but he never skips when others do. How often do we fantasize about being this different sort of hero, and yet how much better we would be if we did? How much better off would we be if we, like Thorin could declare in our hearts,   "There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West. Some courage and some wisdom, blended in measure. If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."

How often is it that we hunger after all the wrong things? What profit would we really have if we had in great measure the power of stereotypic superheroes? What real use could we put it too? How much better off would we be individually and as a whole if we most desired to be graced with Bilbo's virtues, rather than Achilles speed, strength, and skill with arms? How much less mature does this mere children's book of a well lit-world cause our darker fantasies to seem? 

mid

exceptional in the first 200 pages, frustratingly bad and lacking in any structure whatsoever in the second half.
such a disappointment.

...and the love story??? which is supposedly the core of the novel?
criminally underdeveloped.
Twilight was a better love story than this. we're just told that they loved each other and we're supposed to just go with the flow.
the had 3 conversations total !!! - one of which gave me second hand embarrassment.

I am at a loss for words. ☠️

Who approved of this??? 

really entertaining but lacking in terms of real substance. it felt like watching a really well made movie with a shallow plot. 
In terms of plot devices and story line I guess you could compare it to Great Expectations, but Dickens had a better way of presenting his characters.
overall, it was good but I don't think it had the potential to be great in the first place:)

HE WAS HER UNCLE. 


WHAT THE FUCK DID I JUST READ

The book is beautifully written but I felt like there was just something that it lacked. I might have to read it again sometime in the future, to see if I can reach a better understanding of it's message. 

Overall it was a good book. Easy to read, fun, wise, thought-provoking and meditative.  I would recommend it.:)

sweet, but who talks like that???

the writing style was immensely annoying.